How Long Is Forever?
by Willow Onyx
Summary: "When I was eight, I was taken from my mother when she was arrested for drugs. By the time I was twelve, I was in my tenth foster home. In all that time, that letter was the only thing I ever got from you...dad." -Agnes "Apple" Bailey; from the 2013 documentary "Gimme Shelter"
1. Chapter 1

_"You got people asking all types of questions coming around my place, looking around. You crazy? Huh?"_

-June Bailey; **from the 2013 film "Gimme Shelter"**

* * *

"Ms. Hisakawa, we'd like to talk to you for a moment." A doctor sat down, mere feet away from where Cassidy Hisakawa was. Cassidy, only sixteen, had taken herself and her two and a half year old son to a nearby clinic so she could get an ultrasound done. The young girl had suspicions that she might be pregnant again, and the blood work and ultrasound proved her right. Cassidy Hisakawa was expecting her second child. That realization alone made her stomach churn, causing her to almost throw up. Her heart hammered painfully in her chest, though Cassidy tried her best to hide her fear. She couldn't afford to let anyone see she her in such a condition.

"About what?" Her response was clipped, her tone harsh.

"Your pregnancy."

Cassidy snorted in response. She had a pretty good idea on where the conversation was going. Doctors had talked to her when she was pregnant with Kai, her son. They had suggested aborting him early on, but she managed to get out before anything could happen. Cassidy went through her entire pregnancy with Kai without going to another doctor visit, and she ended up giving birth to her son at her uncle's house. The _last_ place she wanted to give birth. "Is there a problem?" she snapped. "Are there any deformities?"

"No," the nurse who took the ultrasound answered. "The fetus is growing normally."

"It's your age, Ms. Hisakawa," the doctor added. "You've already given birth once before at a very young age. Keeping in mind that you may not have insurance or any kind of steady income, how can you manage to take care of a toddler and a newborn on your own?"

Glaring up at the nurse and doctor, Cassidy felt her blood boil. "I'm not aborting the baby," she said in a low, dangerous tone, "and I'm not putting it up for adoption. It's _my_ baby."

The doctor took off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Ms. Hisakawa, you need to keep in mind the options available to you," he said.

"Mama," Kai whispered, though his voice was still loud enough for the doctor and nurse to hear. "Something wrong?"

Looking down at her son, Cassidy tried for a smile, hoping it'd look convincing enough. Brushing some of her son's copper brown curls out of his face, Cassidy turned her gaze back to the doctor and nurse. "I don't need your help," she said sharply. "I'm keeping this baby. You have a problem with it? Too bad."

Grabbing her son's hand, Cassidy shoved her way by the doctor as he tried stopping her. She didn't care if they were trying to be helpful, there was no way in hell Cassidy would give up her unborn child or abort it simply because she was underage. She managed to raise Kai pretty much on her own. The most important thing for the young girl to do at the moment, though, was for Cassidy to get herself and Kai out of living with her uncle. She couldn't stay there any longer.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Cassidy Hisakawa had been born to a Brazilian mother and a Japanese father. Her parents were never officially married, which probably meant that Cassidy was considered a bastard child, though her father, Akihito Hisakawa, hadn't been married to any other woman at the time. Cassidy's mother, Géneviève Oliveira, had emigrated to Tokyo from Salvador, Brazil, in hopes of starting a new life. While Japan was certainly a big leap in hopes of gaining that better life, the young, ambitious Brazilian woman believed she had a bright future living in Japan. But after a brief romance with Akihito, only months after arriving to Tokyo, Géneviève ended up pregnant. Akihito didn't stick around. Géneviève didn't take the abandonment well.

Once Cassidy had been born, Géneviève was experiencing a rapid decline, both mentally and physically. Géneviève had become spiteful and bitter, turning to drugs and alcohol to numb her pain. There had been a belief in the young woman's head that she and Akihito were going to get married. Géneviève had the wholehearted belief that Akihito would marry her, that he would be there to raise their child, and they'd be able to have that "happily ever after" life. Cassidy Oliveira-Hisakawa had been born healthy — seven pounds, four ounces; crying and screeching since the second she came out. Cassidy's mother was less than thrilled. While Cassidy had her mother's hair, eyes, and a lighter skin tone compared to Géneviève, there were plenty of traits she inherited from her father. Things Cassidy's mother hated.

Géneviève's substance abuse started when Cassidy was four. The single mother had ended up living in the bad neighborhoods of Tokyo, getting kicked out of apartments after apartments for not paying rent or for picking fights with the landlord. Cassidy remembered vividly a time where her mother brought over countless numbers of people to get high with. The next day, the landlord kicked the small family out. Géneviève was being more childish than her young daughter at the time.

When they couldn't afford any apartments, thanks to Géneviève's growing drug and alcohol problem, the small family would live in shelters. Even the shelters would kick them out, thanks to all the commotion the young mother would cause. Thankfully, though, someone actually had the decency to call the authorities on Géneviève, which led to Cassidy being taken from her. Cassidy had gone in and out of foster care for a couple years before she was sent to live with her father's brother, Eiji. For Cassidy, it was strange. She had never met her father, so having to live with someone who claimed to be related to her mother's ex was more than just odd. Eiji Hisakawa had been kind at first, he gave Cassidy plenty of food and toys, he didn't yell at her or hit her like her mother did. Once it became clear to authorities that Eiji was a suitable caregiver for his niece, and started paying less attention, that was when his attitude changed.

And that was what eventually led to Cassidy's pregnancies.

So, while Cassidy stood on the outside of her uncle's home, she felt a feeling of disgust rise in her. The one person who was supposed to take care of her, to be the positive influence the young girl initially lacked, had ended up abusing her in more ways than Géneviève did. Cassidy hated her uncle. She _loathed_ him.

"Unca Ji gone," Kai pointed out. It was true. Eiji owned his own business, which required him to be gone for most of the day. Which gave Cassidy the perfect opportunity to get her and her son out of that environment.

"How do you feel about a trip, Kai-bear?" Cassidy asked, looking at her son with wide eyes. "A nice, long trip?"

"Yeah!" The toddler looked thrilled at the idea.

"We have to leave now, though," Cassidy said, lowering her voice. "We have to pack as many things as we can and leave before Uncle Ji gets home."

Kai's brows furrowed. "Why?" he said.

"Because this is for us." Cassidy kissed her son's forehead. "He doesn't need to know where we're going." The look remained on Kai's face, even after the discussion came to an end. In the young girl's mind, it didn't matter if Kai was confused or upset by the matter, the only thing that mattered was getting him out. Him and the unborn baby. Those were Cassidy's top priority.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **What do you guys think? If you've got any ideas on how to improve this chapter, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? I'm all for constructive criticism. Also, I've started community college last week, and I'm working part-time, so that means my schedule is a complete mess until I can figure out a balanced out way to distribute chapters while getting homework done.**

 **OHSHC does not belong to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	2. Chapter 2

_"Fathers are kind. Fathers protect you. Fathers raise you."_

-Raven; **from Teen Titans (2005)**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: For anyone who's squeamish or otherwise triggered at the mention or hinting of sexual abuse, maybe go to the middle part of the story.**

* * *

Eiji Hisakawa's house was the definition of a pigsty. No, even worse than that. The house, which itself wasn't very big, was coated in all kinds of filth. The walls had all kinds of stains; the sink was piled high with dirty dishes; the floors were covered in stains, garbage, and unclean clothes. The smell was the first thing that hit, taking anyone who opened the front door by surprise. For Cassidy, it made her stomach churn so violently she felt bile rise in her throat. Eiji had originally kept his house clean when she first started living with him, but she hadn't realized that the cleanliness was a front, just like his supposed kindness. When law enforcement and protective services loosened their grip on Eiji enough, his behavior began to decline. Once he was deemed a worthy guardian for Cassidy, that was when everything spiraled downhill.

Eiji's business, an auto repair shop, had been going through a difficult time around the first couple months Cassidy went to live with him. He was getting frustrated, his bills were piling up and he couldn't figure out a way to pay them off. After managing to get a second job on the side, the finances were able to balance themselves out after a while. But Eiji's attitude didn't change. He was still angry, still unsatisfied with things. For Cassidy, the first part of her abuse from her uncle had been his yelling and insults. The young girl had been sent to her uncle not long after her eighth birthday, and seeing her uncle behave in such an erratic fashion reminded Cassidy of how her mother acted, especially when she was high or drunk. Géneviève's favorite drug was cocaine, it gave her energy. Mostly negative energy. It fueled her anger towards Cassidy, which led to a lot of hitting, shouting, insults, etc. For Eiji however, he didn't need alcohol or drugs to fuel his rage; it happened naturally.

Cassidy had learned to block out her mother's outbursts whenever they happened, so when her uncle started lashing out, she reverted back to that mindset. Unlike Géneviève, however, who was usually too drunk or high to notice her daughter's blocking out of her rants and abuse, Eiji caught onto it quickly. The physical abuse started mingling in with verbal abuse early on. Hits, punches, kicks, slaps, violent shoving — anything Cassidy could think of, her uncle did. Anytime Eiji caught Cassidy blocking out his verbal assault, he'd beat her. Then it went to whenever he had a bad day, he'd beat her. If the house wasn't looking the way he wanted, he'd beat Cassidy. If he was in some kind of weird mood — not quite angry, but not calm, either — Eiji would beat Cassidy. By the time she turned twelve, that was when the young girl got her first period. Eiji caught wind of it and the abuse went beyond physical and verbal. It went from touching, to groping, to basically everything else that would happen when that kind of situation would be allowed to escalate.

It was around the time Cassidy turned fourteen that her uncle had gone beyond just _touching_ or _groping_. He'd go into her room at night, and then she ended up pregnant not long after. Fourteen year old Cassidy was, of course, petrified at the thought of having to bring a child into the world at such a young age. Her uncle, however, seemed rather indifferent on the matter. He had scheduled a doctor appointment after Cassidy's pregnancy test came back positive. Eiji made Cassidy swear that she would tell the story of how she met up with all these different guys that eventually became intimate. He wanted her to tell the doctors and nurses that she didn't know who the father was. Eiji didn't want to be discovered.

It was after the doctors and nurses suggested Cassidy abort her pregnancy with Kai that she fully started to realize the situation. She had tried distancing herself from everything that had happened up until that point. She didn't want to come to any conclusion or understanding that she was being beaten and raped by her uncle. Cassidy had been fourteen, who would think anything like that would happen to a fourteen year old? She didn't go to anymore doctor appointments after that. She eventually gave birth to Kai in her uncle's home, considering she had no other choice since he refused to take her to a hospital. Kai had come out healthy, screaming and crying. Cassidy had cried, but it wasn't so much out of happiness as it was out of regret and sadness. Eiji didn't lay a finger on her for the first couple months after she gave birth. Casside thought it odd, but didn't think too much on it. Her main priority was keeping her son safe.

After Kai hit the four month mark, Eiji's abuse came back.

Out of everything Eiji had done to her, the one thing Cassidy seemed to do was take in all the filthiness of her uncle's home. The stains on the wall; the garbage and clothes on the floor; maybe afterwards she'd go to the kitchen and see all the dishes in the sink. Seeing the filthiness reminded Cassidy of herself. She felt disgusting, unclean. Eiji always said no one would want someone as disgraceful and horrendous as her. She believed him. She didn't have any friends in the neighborhood. She didn't even do well in any of the schools she attended.

Looking at the house, Cassidy felt Kai's hands grip her leg tightly, burying his face into her leg. The house's putrid smell lingered heavily, making Cassidy's stomach churn painfully. She fought the urge to vomit. Placing a gentle hand on her still flat stomach, Cassidy frowned deeply. If she and Kai left, they'd be homeless. If she stayed, she would have to face the consequences of having to tell Eiji she's pregnant again. She couldn't physically handle that.

"Mama?" Kai's voice snapped the young mother out of her thoughts. "Mama, you OK?"

"I'm fine, _bebê_ ," she murmured. "Let's get your things together, sweetie. We need to hurry, OK? No dawdling."

"Unca Ji," Kai exclaimed. "We tell Unca Ji!"

The one thing Cassidy was happy for was that Kai didn't have the slightest idea that Eiji was his father; only seeing the older man as his great-uncle. "No, _bebê_ ," Cassidy said, keeping her voice firm. "We're _not_ telling him. This is for us. For your baby brother or sister. We need a break, and Uncle Ji can't know." Tears formed in Kai's eyes. "If you cry, then mama will be upset," Cassidy said, her voice low. "We're in a rush, we can't afford temper tantrums, Kai. Do as I say, understand?"

The tears in Kai's brown eyes trembled, his nose was as red as could be. Wiping his eyes, he mumbled something under his breath, but didn't argue any further.

"I'll help you pack," Cassidy grumbled. "You're only allowed to bring one toy, though, so pick carefully."

 ** _~. . . .~_**

Cassidy had taken one of Kai's favorite superhero backpacks and filled it as full as it could get with his clothes. After that, she took her son into the bathroom with her after she took a duffel bag out of her bedroom. Thankfully, Kai's decision on what toy to bring was simple, having settled on an old teddy bear she gave him for Christmas. The bear itself was in tatters, having several parts sewn back together, with some patches here and there from areas that couldn't be sewn back so easily. Kai loved it nonetheless.

Opening drawers in the bathroom, Cassidy threw in some personal hygiene items, trying not to fill in too much space in her bag. Right as she was about to finish up, she saw a pair of scissors in the corner of a slightly open drawer. Cassidy used those scissors to give Kai haircuts sometimes. Picking them up, the sixteen year old held the scissors in her hand for a long moment before looking at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She had long dark brown hair, ending just below her elbows. Pursing her lips, Cassidy picked up a handful of hair and clipped it off. The hair fell all on the bathroom counter and all over the floor. She faintly heard Kai let out a gasp, the two year old surprised that his mother would do something like that. Grabbing more and more of her hair, Cassidy quickly ran her hair through the sink water in hopes of making her hair damp enough to work with. Afterwards, she quickly started cutting it all off.

It felt like a lifetime later before Cassidy allowed herself to stop. Her hair littered the sink, counter, and floor, some of it even clinging to her clothes. Cassidy looked at herself in the mirror, her expression blank as she observed what she had done. Her now short hair was longer in some areas, shorter in others. Patches of hair stuck up in certain areas, while others were flat. Running a hand through her hair, Cassidy swallowed thickly. Looking down at her son, she noticed how he was looking up at her in a stunned silence. The toddler looked like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"You'll help mama pack, right?" she asked, kneeling down to be at his eye level. "Right, Kai?"

The two year old reached out and touched Cassidy's hair. There was a look of concentration on his face, as if he was thinking really hard about what was going on. The young mother felt her heart pounding painfully in her chest, hoping her son would just hurry up and help her. When he nodded, as if coming to some conclusion in his little mind, Cassidy nodded in return. The young mother kept her instructions simple for Kai; he'd gather up what few safe belongings she might need — any money she had stashed around the place plus a few sweatjackets she wanted to bring — while she went and packed in more clothes into the duffel bag. When everything had been packed, Cassidy threw on one of the sweatjackets Kai had given her before putting the hood up.

Kneeling down to her son's eye level, Cassidy brushed his hair out of his face. "Are you ready to go?" she asked. A bright smile came on his face as he nodded, hugging his teddy bear close to him. "OK, let's go."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **What'd you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Was it meh? I honestly don't know how I feel about this chapter, but hopefully it's decent enough. For any of you who have some sort of issue when it comes to sexual assault, I hope the warning at the beginning of the chapter was helpful. For any other future chapters that have a dark theme to it, I'll try and add those kinds of disclaimers near the top of the chapter. Or you guys could just let me know and I'll try to tone down those kinds of themes. If you want to leave a review on the matter, go ahead; other than that, PM your thoughts.**

 **OHSHC does not belong to me. All I own are my characters and subplots.**

 **If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, PM me or leave a review.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	3. Chapter 3

_"A shinobi's life isn't measured by how they lived, but rather what they managed to accomplish before their death."_

-Jiraiya; **from Naruto Shippuden (2012)**

* * *

An envelope, that was what Cassidy Hisakawa held in her hands. She found the envelope on the dining room table as she and Kai were leaving. It was crumpled, filthy. There were stains that smudged some of the writing, but it was still legible. Cassidy's eyes narrowed, her jaw set. While the writing was still legible, it took Cassidy a moment to really understand what was written on it. Before she had gone into the system, before she lived with her uncle, Cassidy had grown up speaking solely Portuguese. Since Géneviève originated from Brazil, especially after Akihito's abandonment after Géneviève's pregnancy announcement, Japanese was, for the most part, forbidden. Cassidy learned to speak only Portuguese because her mother believed it kept her true to her Brazilian heritage. That also meant Cassidy had no way of communicating with anyone outside her home. Géneviève was fluent in Japanese, but considering the bitterness she held due to Akihito's departure, she refused to acknowledge the language or culture at all. Cassidy had all been isolated from her Japanese heritage as a result. It hadn't been until she was put into the system that the young girl began to learn the language.

When Cassidy began her journey into various foster homes, her foster parents refused to let her speak Portuguese anywhere near them. If she said something that sounded even _remotely_ Portuguese in sound, she'd be punished. Cassidy learned very quickly that she had to shut off her Brazilian heritage if she were to survive in foster care. Eventually, by the time she was sent to live with Eiji, Cassidy had a decent understanding of the Japanese language. In the early days of her stay with her uncle, the young girl was given some more lessons on how to speak Japanese. Later on, Cassidy could eventually speak and read Japanese fairly well, though she still had troubles here and there. But the writing on the envelope, it was more of a mixture of her lingering confusion of the language, and the confusion of the sender. It was sent from someone named Akihito. Géneviève had referred to her ex-lover by many derogatory names, only ever calling him by his first name if she couldn't think of any insults. So when the young girl saw the name _Akihito_ , her heart thumped painfully in her chest. Was it really her father? He was sending letters to Eiji? If it _was_ Akihito sending letters to her uncle, it wouldn't be surprising. They'd be brothers, after all.

Opening the envelope, Cassidy pulled out an equally filthy and crumpled letter.

 _'My dear,_

 _If you're reading this, then you should understand that I know of your existence. I've known for a long time. It's been difficult, not being able to see you grow up, but I hope that everything is going well with my brother. To my understanding, you were taken from your mother at a young age. I have acquaintances who work in the foster care system, so I am given brief descriptions of what goes on there. I am so, so sorry for the news of what you've gone through with your mother; I can only hope things work out with her._

 _Whatever Géneviève says about me, though, I hope you don't believe it. I wanted to stay, believe me on that, but my parents did not approve of my relationship with your mother. My parents believed I should be with a Japanese woman, not a foreigner. I did the best I could to change their minds, but they wouldn't have it. As I know you came to realize, I had to leave you and your mother. My parents threatened to cut me off. Being the eldest of my siblings, that would have been a problem. That would have been frowned upon._

 _My family_ _— our family — owns a successful law firm in the wealthier parts of the community. Eiji, unfortunately, was disowned by my parents, your grandparents, for fraud. That is why he's living where he is today. I've heard that he opened his own auto repair business, and I'm grateful he's found some stability in life._

 _My dear, I hope that one day you'll be able to come visit me when you're older. I know I haven't been there for you, but I hope you can at least hear the full story about my absence._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your father, Akihito'_

Cassidy's eyes went over the letter again, rereading each word carefully, as if it would change at any given moment. Her father had sent her a letter. Eiji hadn't given it to her. Was it some kind of mistake? Why, after all those years of not knowing him, would Akihito Hisakawa reach out to Cassidy? If he had acquaintances in the foster care system, why hadn't he done something to get her out? Why did she have to be sent to Eiji, the disgraced son?

Akihito had mentioned in the letter that Cassidy could visit him when she's older...if she went, would he still want to see her? Would he want a relationship with her? Rolling her eyes, Cassidy stuffed the letter and envelope into her pocket. She'd have to think on it. Looking down at Kai, she noticed how he was looking around the room quietly. It was almost as if he was in his own little world. Smiling softly, she gently took her hand in his and they walked to the front door. That was when she heard the front door handle rattling. Cassidy froze.

"Mama?" Kai looked up at her, almost bewildered at her sudden change. "Mama?" He tugged at her sleeve, trying to get her attention. Without wasting a second, Cassidy picked her son up and hurriedly went to the back door. Kai had let out a surprised squeal, then started giggling. He became distracted, paying little attention to his mother's frantic attitude. If Eiji had come home early from work, that put the mother and son into trouble.

"Be quiet," she told her son, her voice a whispered hiss. Kai didn't listen, instead he kept giggling as his arms wrapped around his mother's neck. By the time she reached the back door, the front door had opened. Cassidy quickly threw the back door open and ran out. She was trying to be as careful as possible. Kai was already heavy and running was definitely adding to the stress the young pregnant woman was experiencing. A shout could be heard from inside the home, but Cassidy was already too far to hear what was being said. By the time another shout could be heard, the young mother and son were already turning the block.

A bus stop wasn't that far ahead, and Cassidy could see the transit approaching. Putting her son down, right as they reached the stop, Cassidy dug through her duffel bag for the fair and pulled out all the money she had with her. Once the bus came, she gave the driver the amount needed and accepted a transfer ticket. The bus started moving right as Cassidy found her and Kai a place to sit. Looking out the window, Cassidy felt her heart drop when she saw Eiji running to the bus stop. He was red faced, his dark brown eyes wild with anger. Holding her son close to her, Cassidy felt her throat close up. She had managed to escape, but only time could tell how long she'd last.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Cassidy and Kai stayed on the transit bus for a while, watching people get on and off. She planned on staying on until they made it to the station. Taking out the envelope and letter, Cassidy studied the letter one last time before she started looking at Akihito's address. It was on the other side of the county, in the better part of the city. It shouldn't take long for her and Kai to get there. Cassidy didn't have any intentions of actually getting to know her father, she came to realize that, she only wanted a place to stay until she could legally remove any rights Eiji had as her guardian. Maybe she could build a case against him for all the abuse he'd done to her. Kai and the unborn child were perfect examples of how abusive Eiji had truly been.

 _Akihito's part of a successful law firm,_ she thought solemnly. _Maybe he'd help me build a case against Eiji._

But would her father _really_ want to help Cassidy press charges against his own brother? Regardless of whether or not Eiji was disgraced, he was still Akihito's flesh and blood. That had to mean something. But if Akihito really cared about his daughter, he'd do anything he could to help her. She and Kai had to matter, right? Why else would he reach out to her?

Feeling her toddler snuggle further into her side made Cassidy smile a little. He'd fallen asleep not even fifteen minutes into the bus ride. His coppery curls were all over the place, and Cassidy found it adorable. The one thing Cassidy was thankful for was that her son mostly had her features. He had a lighter skin tone than Cassidy's — hers was tanned, but a shade lighter than her mother's skin color. Kai's skin tone was almost a very pale tan. He had Géneviève's shaped nose and mouth, and Cassidy's shaped eyes. It was almost hard to tell he was Japanese, but there were some subtle features that gave it away. While Kai's conception was rather unfortunate, Cassidy was thankful that her son was healthy and alive. She couldn't have asked for a more perfect son. And the baby that was growing in her; however it turned out, Cassidy would love it regardless. While she hated the idea that her children were fathered by her uncle, she would give them the same amount of affection compared to if they'd been fathered by someone else.

Cassidy Hisakawa was going to start over. She, Kai, and the baby-to-be would live a nice, better life. Maybe the young mother would be able to finish her schooling. Géneviève and Eiji had made it nearly impossible for Cassidy to properly get an education. And all the foster homes Cassidy had gone to, she barely stayed there long enough to even get _enrolled_ in the local schools or academies. She'd also work on getting Kai a proper education, as well. Cassidy would get a job, a real job, in order to save money for her son. She'd also save money to get her own apartment. A lighter feeling started to wash over the young mother. She managed to get away from Eiji...she _actually_ did it. Hopefully it would stay that way, though she knew he'd try and get her back. Eiji would more than likely get his disgusting friends to help him, too. That dampened the lighter mood Cassidy was feeling. Tightening her hold on Kai, Cassidy tried pushing the thought from her mind. She had to assure herself that she'd make it on her own, she was able to find it in her to finally leave, now she had to figure out a way to keep her family safe.

 ** _~. . . .~_**

Eiji was more than pissed off. Cassidy and their son had taken off. How else was he supposed to react? She'd been acting strangely for the past couple days, had that been the reason why? Eiji knew that since she was out there somewhere, she'd more than likely get authorities involved for all the things he'd done to her over the years. _Everything_ he'd done would be exposed. Kai would be a perfect example for what Cassidy had gone through. A feeling of dread filled Eiji's body. Kai would be enough proof. If Cassidy went to law enforcement and explained what happened to her over the years, all they'd need are DNA tests from Kai and him and they'd have all they needed to arrest him. That thought alone was enough to send a chilling feeling up Eiji's spine. Maybe he should give Akihito a call. Besides, his older brother always kept in contact with him, despite Eiji's disowned status in the family.

Or maybe he should call Saya, his and Akihito's sister. Saya, like Akihito, was a lawyer. She worked for the Hisakawa law firm, so maybe she'd be able to give him some advice. While Eiji's relationship with Akihito was, at best, on an acquaintance level, his relationship with Saya had always been good. But was it _really_ a good idea to call her? Or even Akihito? They'd certainly be asking questions. And Akihito would certainly get worried as to why his daughter ran away. Akihito, being the eldest out of the three siblings, was always very responsible. But Eiji had to wonder if it was because their parents held him in such high regard. The eldest child in wealthy families were always looked at to inherit the family business. Saya was the middle child, having chosen to stay out of all the family drama the seemed to ensue when they were growing up. Saya was a gentle soul at best, but she did have a stubborn streak to her. She was responsible and did her best to make their parents proud, but it was difficult because their parents didn't think she'd accomplish much because she was a woman. Akihito had to fight tooth and nail just to get her a job at the firm.

Eiji was, of course, the family disappointment. After he had finished school, he had managed to get a job at the family's firm. He had been going through some financial troubles, despite his parents splitting their wealth amongst the siblings evenly. It was later found out that Eiji was stealing from the firm and he was not only fired, but disowned by his parents. They no longer communicated with him or even acknowledged him as their child. Akihito and, occasionally, Saya kept in contact with him. If he fell into financial troubles, they refused to get him out of it. If he faced any kind of hardship, they expected him to figure it out on his own. They didn't want him getting too dependent on them. They had their own families to think about — Saya with her husband and three kids; Akihito with his current wife and four young kids. Eiji was the only one out of the Hisakawa siblings to not marry or have children. There was a good reason for that. The time Akihito had been with Géneviève, Eiji had felt a bit of resentment towards his older brother for being with the Brazilian woman. It wasn't because the eldest sibling as involved with a foreigner, it was because Eiji wanted to be with Géneviève. Cassidy, being Géneviève's daughter, was the closest Eiji would ever get to being with her. It was almost a miracle Cassidy would end up in his care to begin with.

Burying his face in his hands, a sense of dread and frustration rushed through him. He had to figure out a way to get Cassidy and Kai back. If calling Akihito and Saya was ruled out, then he'd have to do anything and everything in his power to ensure their return. He couldn't get law enforcement involved, then they'd be wondering about Kai's role in the whole dynamic. Eiji had Cassidy convince anyone who asked that she was very promiscuous, having slept with multiple men and ended up pregnant. For the most part, it worked. No one asked questions after that. Cassidy's reputation — or what little reputation she _did_ have — was tarnished by Eiji's lies, but he couldn't afford to be thrown in jail. He just didn't have it in him to be an inmate. Crossing his arms over his chest, Eiji decided that maybe he should give his old pal, Junichi, a call. The two men had known each other for years, and Junichi was always willing to give a helping hand to any of his friends.

 ** _~. . . .~_**

Once Cassidy and Kai made it to the bus station, they went inside to ask some questions. Kai had, evidently, been upset at having to wake up so suddenly. He had cried for a good couple minutes before deciding he was going to be as disobedient as possible. Cassidy had to threaten to take his teddy bear away just to get him to listen. The two and a half year old knew that if he got his teddy bear taken away, it'd be all over after that. His stuffed animal was his most prized toy; he didn't want it taken away.

When they were inside, Cassidy found an employee and got her son to be still enough to start asking questions. "Do you know how far it'd be to get to this part of the city?" she asked, showing the envelope to the female employee.

The woman looked at the envelope before looking at her, an obvious look of judgment on her face. Cassidy knew she looked bad; with her bad haircut and the fact that she looked like she was possibly homeless, she didn't blame the woman for the look. But that didn't mean Cassidy had to like it. "It should take no more than two hours at most," she replied, her tone clipped. "Do you have enough money to pay the fee?"

Furrowing her brows, Cassidy looked at the woman with anger starting to boil up inside her. "I should, yeah," she said. "How is that any of your business, though? Did I ask you about the fees?" The woman shoved the envelope back to Cassidy. "Why don't you get a better attitude?" the young mother exclaimed. "Acting as if you're all high and mighty because you work at a bus station..."

Cassidy, in that moment, noticed all the other people in the station looking at her. Taking a moment to calm herself down, she and Kai left. The woman didn't even tell her which bus would be able to go in that area. Cassidy went to where all the buses parked to let their passengers on and off; she looked at all the times and the different stops they each took, but she wasn't sure which one would go to the neighborhood Akihito lived in. Maybe she didn't think through her plan as well as she had thought. Though she wasn't given much of an opportunity to think it over, with Eiji chasing after her. She'd have to make it work, though. If Cassidy was trying to get as much space between her family and her uncle as possible, she'd have to pick a bus and go. Whatever happened later would be figured out.

And Cassidy absolutely hated that.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for not having this chapter up sooner, but here it is! If you've got any constructive criticism on this chapter, don't hesitate to let me know, OK?**

 **I own nothing in the OHSHC fandom. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **If you're wondering when Cassidy is going to meet the Host Club, it probably won't be for a while. It's still pretty early in the story, and she just escaped Eiji, so I'm not planning on introducing Tamaki or the others anytime soon. In the meantime, and hopefully you guys understand, I'll be focusing more on how Cassidy's surviving while being pregnant and trying to protect her son. If you guys have any ideas on how Cassidy and Kai can meet the Host Club, either individually or as a whole, leave your thoughts! You can PM me or leave a review on the matter. Either way is fine with me.**

 **On that note, thanks a bunch!**

 **Willow**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Listen, Morty, I hate to break it to you but what people call 'love' is just a chemical reaction that compels animals to breed. It hits hard, Morty, then it slowly fades, leaving you stranded in a failing marriage. I did it. Your parents are gonna do it. Break the cycle, Morty..."_

-Rick Sanchez; **from Rick and Morty (2014)**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: Mentions of attempted suicide + other dark themes.**

* * *

 _Cassidy was laying on her bed, her body was in excruciating pain, but the thirteen year old was used to it at that point. Eiji had just finished raping her, having come back from work in a foul mood and, as he said, "needed to let out some steam". Cassidy knew she'd have to wash her bedsheets later, that she'd have to take a very long shower after that. Her uncle had been very brutal, and Cassidy knew there'd be some bleeding._

 _Eiji, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned about his niece's state. He didn't care if she had been injured, as long as he was satisfied in some way. The older man was sitting on the edge of Cassidy's bed, boxers pulled on while the rest of his and Cassidy's clothes were scattered and thrown across the room. Eiji was deep in thought, his hands gripping the edge of the thirteen year old's bed, as if he were afraid something would happen._

 _"You look just like your mother," the older man said softly. "Do you know that?"_

 _Cassidy didn't respond. She didn't have it in her to. If she got beaten for it, then that's what happened. She could care less. The abuse from Eiji had started to escalate out of control, and the young girl was at her wit's end. She could not take it anymore. The second Eiji left her room, Cassidy would go into the bathroom and kill herself. She had wanted to do so for years but she hadn't had the balls to do it. Unfortunately, Eiji kept all his medication locked up, so any chances of Cassidy overdosing were out of the question. But there were razors that were kept in a cabinet underneath the sink. Eiji used them to shave. Giving her uncle a sideways glance, Cassidy knew what she had to do. If no one from the outside was going to help her, she had to figure out a way to help herself._

 _ **~. . . .~**_

The young mother felt the scars on her wrists, the thick scars that would always make her feel guilty. Make her flinch whenever something touched them. The day Cassidy tried to kill herself had been absolutely horrific. Eiji caught her not long afterward and ended up calling one of his buddies to help out. Eiji's friend, Gus, a tall, thin, sickly looking Grecian man, stitched up the wounds and disinfected them. Eiji worked on cleaning up all the blood. Cassidy was locked in her room for a week and a half, repeatedly beaten by Eiji and periodically starved and left dehydrated. Gus was allowed into the room the check the wounds, and Eiji gave the Grecian man permission to do whatever he wanted.

Cassidy came to hate her uncle even more after that.

"You're lucky I found you when I did," Eiji would say. "I wouldn't want my precious girl leaving me."

 _Precious girl_ was Eiji's pet name for Cassidy. He used that word to show his control, his dominance. Cassidy hated that name. She never wanted to have another pet name in her life.* Whenever he said that, Cassidy would always feel bile rise up in her throat. Eiji always managed to find new ways to disgust her.

Letting out a sigh, Cassidy quickly removed her hand from the scar, not wanting to relive those memories. Instead, she wrapped an arm around Kai and held him close to her. The duo were on a transit, neither of them having the slightest idea on where it was going. Cassidy boarded the bus in hopes of it going somewhere near where Akihito's neighborhood was, but since the station worker had an attitude with her, the young mother wasn't in the mood to go back in and ask questions. Was it risky, blindly going onto any available transit in hopes of finding her father? Absolutely. But Cassidy had to keep in mind that with each passing second, Eiji could be getting closer to finding her and Kai. She didn't want her or her son to experience Eiji's wrath. He was morbid enough on his own, but when he was _really_ upset, that was when Cassidy would experience true fear.

"Mama, hungry." Kai nudged his mother's side, looking up at her with those big brown eyes. Cassidy let out a sigh. She didn't think to bring food or water with them on their journey. The young mother believed they'd find Akihito's place in no time; but Cassidy was coming to the realization that she overestimated herself. Finding her father would be way more difficult than she thought.

"You'll get food soon, OK?" she responded, keeping her voice low. "Just wait a little longer."

The two and a half year old let out a whine, clearly not pleased with the response. Cassidy made no attempt to correct him on his behavior; she knew that when Kai got hungry, he'd be grumpy and uncooperative. That was just how he was.

After a couple more stops, Cassidy decided the next one would be where they got off. The transit was passing through a shopping district, so Cassidy could find some cheap food for Kai and maybe she could ask for directions to Akihito's. Hopefully the bus was leading them in the right direction.

Once the next stop came up, Cassidy grabbed her son's hand and they both hurriedly got off the bus. Cassidy made sure the hood of her sweatjacket was up and her head was lowered. If her uncle had anyone in the streets trying to find her, she couldn't afford to be found. But that also meant that she'd have to figure out a disguise for Kai. The two and a half year old could easily be detected by people associated with Eiji, and the last thing Cassidy wanted was her son taken from her.

"You said you're hungry, right?" Cassidy said, picking her son up. She felt her stomach flutter at the stress, then let out a grumble to show her that she was just as hungry. When Kai nodded against her neck, the young mother hurriedly went into the nearest grocery store to look for food. Placing her son down, Kai made sure he was holding onto her as they made their way through the store. "How about some candy? You want that?"

Kai's face lit up like a Christmas tree at the suggestion. Like any kid his age, he _loved_ eating sweets. Cassidy smiled at his enthusiasm as she took him to the candy aisle.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

"What do you mean she's missing?" Junichi exclaimed. Junichi Akiyama was a young man with messy black hair and vibrant hazel eyes. He came from a family of drug dealers, the kind of people who always had connections to someone. While Junichi was involved in the drug trade, he was a rather naive individual. He tended to believe whatever people told him wholeheartedly, and that made him easy to manipulate. Eiji knew that the young man wasn't built for the kind of business his family ran, but it was something he was born into. The young man, being close to Eiji, believed that the older man was just an overworked man trying to take care of his wild niece and great-nephew. Eiji manipulated Junichi greatly, using the young man as a tool in a lot of situations in order for the older man to get what he wants.

"She ran away," Eiji said, burying his face in his hands. While he was truly worried, it wasn't the kind of worry that the young man was thinking of. Eiji was terrified of Cassidy revealing to the public what her uncle did to her. He was terrified that he'd never see Kai again. "I don't know what to do," he sighed. "I don't know where she went."

Furrowing his brows, Junichi set his jaw. "I may know someone who's good at finding missing people," he said, though he sounded uncertain. "Do you know Aya?"

"Aya Song?" Eiji's brows furrowed. "The Korean girl?"

Junichi nodded. "Yeah," he answered. "She's really good at finding missing people. I could get in contact with her and hopefully she'll help you out."

Aya Song was infamous in the darker side of Japanese society. Originating from Seoul, South Korea, the young girl came to Japan to escape prison time. Coming into the country with falsified identification, Aya managed to stay under the radar for decades. She got herself involved with Japan's most elite criminals, working as a hacker, informant, and tracker. Aya knew everything on everyone, so that made her valuable. Eiji had heard brief stories of the young Korean girl, but he didn't think too much on her. He knew better than to get himself tangled up with someone like her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking at Junichi with the utmost seriousness. "I can't afford to have Cassidy or Kai away from me too long."

"Trust me," the young man exclaimed. "Aya's good at her job. I wouldn't have suggested her if she wasn't."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter is significantly shorter than the previous ones, but I hope you guys like it anyway. Let me know if you guys think there should be any improvement anywhere. Constructive criticism is always welcome.**

 **OHSHC doesn't belong to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **If you've got ideas for an OC or a subplot, leave a PM or leave a review. I'll try to add it in as soon as possible.**

 **I'm sure I've mentioned this in previous author's notes, but Cassidy and Kai won't be encountering the Host Club just yet. It's only four chapters in and I don't want to go rushing into anything, ya know? I'd like to take it slow for the time being. I think I did ask this in a previous chapter, but how do you guys think Cassidy and Kai should meet the Host Club? Should they meet them individually or all at once? Comment on what you think!**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow***


	5. Chapter 5

_"Now I realize there is no righteous path, it's just people trying to do their best in a world where it is far too easy to do your worst."_

-Castiel; **from Supernatural (2014)**

* * *

Feeling her stomach knotting up and rolling around like a bowling ball made Cassidy hesitate as she walked down the candy aisle with Kai. A familiar nauseous feeling rattled itself throughout Cassidy's body. For the young mother, bouts of nausea was something she was accustomed to, it was a replacement for morning sickness. In some ways, Cassidy found herself lucky she didn't experience morning sickness — she heard stories of how terrible it could be, and it terrified Cassidy. For Kai, she would get severely nauseous in the morning, with little moments of queasiness throughout the day, but that was it. There were rare moments, though, where Cassidy did end up throwing up. Maybe once or twice throughout her entire pregnancy with her son did Cassidy ever throw up. Being pregnant again, the young mother experienced the same thing — severe nausea in the morning with little moments of queasiness throughout the day.

But in that moment, standing in the candy aisle, the queasiness Cassidy felt was different. It was _definitely_ the kind of queasiness that would lead to vomiting. She had to get to a bathroom, and _fast_. Scooping up Kai, Cassidy hurriedly shoved her way past some customers and thankfully found a bathroom before the nausea became too much. Finding the nearest open stall, Cassidy shoved Kai in, closed and locked the door behind them, and Cassidy's vomit just _barely_ made it inside the toilet. Kai, startled by the turn of events, had started crying, though it was a delayed reaction.

Wave after wave of vomit ripped its way through Cassidy, all the while hearing Kai's faint cries. For the sickness, the young mother could only assume that it was because of built up stress. With the doctor appointment and leaving Eiji, Cassidy had to think up _some_ solution, and stress seemed to be the most possible one.

Once there was nothing left, leaving Cassidy to violently dry heave, watching as bile and spit came out of her mouth, Cassidy took a moment to notice how her body was reacting. Her throat and face burned; hot tears rolled down her cheeks; Cassidy's stomach was doing flips. Cassidy's hands ached from gripping the toilet bowl so tightly, her knees hurt from kneeling for so long. Kai's cries had calmed to whimpers, and that alone made Cassidy feel worse.

"Kai?" Cassidy whispered, her throat feeling raw. "Are you OK?"

"Scared...," he whimpered.

"Mama's sorry." Wiping her face, Cassidy tried her best to clear her throat. "I wasn't feeling good. The baby's gonna make me sick sometimes, OK?" When she turned to see her son, the young mother felt her heart drop. Kai's eyes were red, the tip of his nose was red, too. His bottom lip was stuck out in a scared pout. "Give mama a hug," she rasped. "It'll make me feel better."

With a nod, the two and a half year old scooted closer to his mother, carefully wrapping his arms around her. Cassidy returned the embrace just as gently. The pregnancy was definitely going to be an odd, maybe traumatizing, experience for Kai, and Cassidy would do everything in her power to comfort him. She'd have to reassure him to the best of her ability. It was the least she could do, anyway.

The embrace lasted a solid two minutes before the duo pulled away. Cassidy's stomach was still feeling a bit queasy, but she put on the most convincing smile ever. "See?" she said, her voice slowly returning to normal. "All better."

"Promise?" Kai asked.

" _Pinky_ promise."

 _ **~. . . .~**_

It took Cassidy a minute to get herself all cleaned up, and once Kai had officially been calmed down, the duo made their way out of the bathroom and back into the candy aisle. Cassidy had promised to get Kai his most _favorite_ candy for being such a trooper. The two and a half year old had been ecstatic at the news. Even though there was some reluctance from Cassidy to go down the aisle that made her sick, she was going to keep her promise to her son.

"This one!" Kai pulled out a bag of M&M's, shoving it at his mother enthusiastically.

"Are you sure, Kai-bear?" Cassidy knelt down, giving her son an arched brow. She knew that purchasing the entire bag of M&M's would go through a good number of the money that had been brought, but Cassidy didn't mind. She'd do whatever it took to make her son happy. When he nodded happily, Cassidy gave a small smile. "M&M's it is," she responded. Taking the bag from him, the duo made their way to the check out.

Kai happily walked beside his mother, gripping onto her tightly with a huge smile on his face. It was little moments like those, where Cassidy got to see her son smile, that she experienced actual happiness. Kai's happiness and wellbeing had always been on the top of Cassidy's list. Any moment where Kai found himself _truly_ expressing happiness or excitement or enthusiasm over something, it would be enough to make his mother feel even a _tiny_ wave of happiness. For Cassidy, that's saying a lot because she had to teach herself to suppress her feelings if she were to survive with her uncle.

At least Kai seemed to be finding some enjoyment out of their escape.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Aya Song had come to Japan when she was nearing her twenties, trying to get away from Seoul so she wouldn't be jailed on multiple felonies. Aya had been relatively popular in South Korea's criminal circle for her abilities in hacking, tracking down missing people, and for gaining valuable information on people. Criminals knew better than to piss her off — Aya enjoyed looking into her employers' backgrounds, that way she'd have some blackmail should they try anything — but Aya was in such high demand! Drug lords, pimps, gang members — any kind of criminal that lurked in Korea's underbelly wanted to have her so they could get the upper-hand on their enemies.

Unfortunately, though, authorities in Seoul caught up to Aya's work and was threatening her with jail time. She had the help of a few accomplices to help her get to Japan under a new alias. She lived in the new country as a woman named Mia Lang, with I.D. that had been forged so perfectly that Japanese officials believed it to be true. Aya made herself at home, living in the new country for a little over two decades while rebuilding her reputation with Japan's finest criminals.

One case that had been brought to Aya, by a young drug dealer named Junichi, was about a teenage girl and young son who'd gone missing. The girl's uncle was desperately trying to find her, and he wasn't sure where else to go. Certainly the young Korean woman wondered why a case like that hadn't been reported to the police — it seemed too far out of her field, but she reminded herself that she did have experience when it came to finding missing people, and she was pretty damn good at it, too. But what was so special about some runaway and her kid? And that oh, so desperate uncle Junichi had written down, he wasn't anyone Aya was familiar with.

"Eiji Hisakawa," she murmured, narrowing her eyes slightly. Giving a slight hum, Aya took out her laptop and started on her work.*

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **This chapter's significantly shorter than the other ones, but I tried to put in as much detail — even if it wasn't good — as possible. If there's anything that came off confusing, don't hesitate to let me know. This isn't one of my better chapters, I can tell you that.**

 **OHSHC isn't mine. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, don't hesitate to let me know, OK?**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	6. Chapter 6

_"Live long and prosper."_

-Spock; **from the Star Trek franchise**

* * *

There was definitely excitement radiating off Kai as he watched his mother buy the M&M's. What more could a kid ask for than _sweets_? It was certainly a step up from the stuff that Kai and Cassidy would eat back at Eiji's. The stuff at Eiji's was usually on the brink of being expired, which meant that a lot of the time mother and son had to go hungry. There were some instances where Kai saw his mother bring home all kinds of nice food, though she never disclosed where she got it from. Kai didn't care to ask, he was just happy to have food. As for water, that was another story. Eiji made sure there was enough water for Kai and Cassidy, at least to last a couple days. Kai remembered he'd get really bad headaches whenever he didn't get enough water, and Cassidy would get in fights with Eiji to make him feel better. The two and a half year old _hated_ hearing his mother and uncle fight. It always made him cry. The rare moments Eiji managed to have alone time with Kai, Eiji would blame Cassidy's rebellious behavior as to why they didn't have enough water or food. The older man was spending all his money getting Cassidy out of trouble, and it was too much for him. Kai wasn't sure if it was true or not; his mother was the nicest person ever.

What Kai couldn't understand, though, was why he and his mother left Eiji. He couldn't wrap his little head around it. First, his mother was getting sick, then Kai found out he was going to be a big brother, then he and Cassidy leave. What was _that_ about? How would Eiji react? Would they ever go back to him? Living with his uncle was the only life Kai ever knew. He never really socialized with anyone outside of his uncle's house. Kai wasn't even allowed to talk to the people his uncle brought over, Cassidy made sure of it. It never made sense. Was there a _reason_ why Cassidy didn't want Kai mingling with his uncle's friends? Was there something the young mother wasn't saying? Kai _really_ wanted to know, but there was a chance his mother would refuse to say why.

So, as Kai watched as his mother paid for the bag of M&M's, completely oblivious to the glares and disgusted looks thrown their way, the two and a half year old tried to figure out a way to ask his mother what was going on. There had to be some kind of explanation as to why they were traveling the city instead of being back home with Eiji.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Cassidy had been well aware of the dirty looks the customers and employees were giving her and Kai while they were in the store. As if vomiting in a grocery store bathroom wasn't bad enough, people were giving them looks for just _shopping_. Was there anything else Cassidy could _possibly_ be doing wrong in the eyes of those people? There had been a couple incidents where Cassidy managed to sneak out of Eiji's home, back when she and Kai were still living with him, and she saw the looks other people gave her. Cassidy saw the dirty looks, the heated glares, the obvious disgust on their features. She heard the scoffs of distaste and noticed how much distance they put between themselves and her. The one thing that always irritated the young mother, in situations like that, was how those looks and attitudes didn't bother her, but at the same time, they _did_. People being disgusted with her appearance was natural; people were _supposed_ to be disgusted with the "trashier" side of society; the ones who are too poor — who are "too lazy" to change their lives. A good portion of the young girl didn't give two shits if those better off people didn't want someone like her in _their_ part of the city.

But, unfortunately, deep, _deep_ down, Cassidy did let all of that get to her. She felt her stomach knot up whenever a dirty look was thrown her way. She'd feel her chest constrict whenever a disgusted scoff came out of someone's mouth when they saw her. She would feel her blood run cold whenever she'd hear whispers and looks aimed in her direction. Cassidy would also feel a bit of anger boil in the pit of her stomach whenever those looks, whispers, and noises were aimed at Kai, though. It was one thing if they wanted to make _her_ feel like shit, but to treat her _son_ as if he were an _inconvenience_? How was _that_ considered OK?

The circumstances of Kai's birth may have been disturbing, but his existence shouldn't be seen as an inconvenience, or a burden. Cassidy loved her son unconditionally, just as she would love her unborn child unconditionally. Kai and the baby were going to be Cassidy's entire world. She wanted what was best for them, and if she could give them the best life possible, then Cassidy knew she did the right thing. That right thing had to start with her getting to Akihito, to hopefully get a case up against Eiji and to get Cassidy out of the system. If Eiji were to be imprisoned before Cassidy got herself out of the system, then she'd more than likely be forced back into foster care. Kai would be forced in, as well. Same with the baby. Cassidy was no idiot when it came to foster care; she'd spent a few years in and out of homes before living with her uncle. The young mother knew that siblings or other family members who went into the system were typically separated and rarely ever saw each other again. If Cassidy ended up back in the system, and ended up separated from her kids, she'd put every single person through hell until she'd be reunited with them. But that would be in a worst case scenario type of situation. The _best_ scenario would be Akihito managing to get Cassidy out of the system and then helping her put a case together against her uncle.

Cassidy also had to remind herself that Eiji and Akihito were brothers. Despite Eiji's status as being disgraced and disowned, there still seemed to be a particular brotherly bond between the two men. Putting out a claim that Eiji had been raping and abusing her for a little over four years would be a hard pill to swallow. But Akihito would understand, right? Cassidy herself wasn't going out of her way to mend any broken relationships with her father, but she'd definitely play the daughter card if she had to. Akihito was the one who bailed on her; if he wanted a relationship so badly, he'd help her out, right? Besides, his letter said she could come by his place whenever she wanted once she was old enough. One of the few useful things Cassidy learned from the underbelly of Japan was how to manipulate people, how to use their emotions against them. It wasn't uncommon for people to use specific emotional manipulation to their advantage. And did it _really_ matter that Cassidy was manipulating her own _father_? It wasn't like she wanted a relationship with him. Hell, she wasn't planning on staying with him until her plan had been successful. If Akihito chose not to help her, she'd leave and find someone who could. Akihito Hisakawa meant nothing to the young mother. Just like Géneviève and Eiji meant nothing to her.

That kind of outlook, the whole you're-only-useful-if-it-benefits-me kind of outlook, was something Cassidy saw countless times growing up. She saw it with Géneviève plenty of times before being taken away; and she's seen it with Eiji when he's with his friends. Life was difficult, and sometimes people had to do what they could to get by.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Aya had done a bit of background investigating on Eiji Hisakawa. Her employer wasn't rich, like a lot of Aya's previous ones. But he did seem to have a good connection to Japan's drug trade. Not really surprising, honestly. A good number of Aya's employees and customers seemed to think it nice to either pay her in drugs or in prostitutes _(some of the people she worked with owned sex trafficking businesses)_. The young Korean woman had no interest in sex slaves or narcotics. She'd sell the drugs for money and pay the prostitutes for simply showing up, not for any sexual favors they'd offer. Regardless, Aya did gain something out of her work. A lot of the other customers and employers did pay her a lot of money for her services, and that put her at the top of Japan's illegal rings. But Eiji...he wasn't anything like her previous cases, even the ones who couldn't pay more than some drugs and prostitutes. It was almost _pathetic_ , how desperate this man was.

Looking closer at Eiji's file, Aya had to shake her head. Being disowned by his family for stealing money from their law firm, gaining custody of a rowdy kid who'd gotten pregnant once — the girl and her son goes missing and he doesn't go to the police. Eiji Hisakawa decides to get in contact with someone like Aya. But who knows? Maybe looking for a missing girl and son would be interesting. It had certainly been a while since Aya worked on anything as fascinating — both sarcastically put and not — as Eiji's case.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Not my best chapter, but I did the best I could. Work and school have been maxing out the amount of creativity I've got to offer, so I hope this could at least be somewhat interesting for you guys. If there's anything you think needs improvement, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? Constructive criticism is important.**

 **I own nothing in the OHSHC fandom. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **If you've got OCs or subplots you'd like to see written into the story, don't hesitate to let me know. PM me with your ideas or leave a review.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	7. Chapter 7

_"You need to understand, I will do anything to protect my family. I know you know what I'm talking about. So don't mess with me. Don't interfere with my business again. Because I will kill you and anyone you care about."_

-Adrian Toomes; **from Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: First half of the chapter has mentions of abuse. If you're sensitive to that subject, then I'd suggest skipping to the middle of the chapter.**

* * *

 _"Cassidy!" The sound of Eiji's shouts filled the house. Cassidy, only thirteen at the time, was in her room, the door closed and locked. She was huddled against the furthest wall of her room, hoping to keep as much distance between her and her uncle as possible. It was one of those days, where Eiji was filled with an uncontrollable rage. It was an unfortunate circumstance that Cassidy would usually have to handle her uncle's rages in whatever form of abuse he wanted. Since the day she got her first period, rape seemed to be Eiji's favorite form of abuse. The older man, from what Cassidy understood, had difficulties holding down girlfriends thanks to his temper. Eiji's niece was the only female companion he had, one who had no choice_ but _to stay with him. The older man could let out all his pent up frustrations on Cassidy, and she'd just take it._ Sometimes _at least. Most days the thirteen year old would get an idea in her head that she should fight back, that only fueled Eiji's anger._

 _On that day, that particularly rageful day, Eiji had woken up in a foul mood. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was angry at everything. The filthiness of his home, the sounds of everything around him — coming from both inside and outside the house — along with Cassidy's mere_ presence _in the home made Eiji's temper rise. Unfortunately, the young girl had received a vicious beating from her uncle before he went to work, leaving her with all kinds of cuts and bruises on her body. Cassidy stayed in her room for the remainder of the day, too sore to move and to frightened to leave. Not long before her uncle came home from work, Cassidy had pulled herself up from the floor to close and lock her bedroom door. It didn't matter how badly her body ached, how badly the cuts on her face and body stung, or how hard it was for her to breathe sometimes, Cassidy needed to defend herself somehow. At one point, she did go into the kitchen and took out a knife, one that seemed extra sharp. Eiji found it almost immediately and held it against her throat, threatening to kill her if she tried anything like that again. The tip of the knife cut her throat, not deep enough for her to be seriously injured, but deep enough for there to be a small scar. That was a reminder for Cassidy to never try something like that again._

 _"Open the door!" Eiji screamed, pounding his fist on the door. "Open it_ now _!"_

 _Bringing her legs up to her chest, with her arms wrapping around her legs to keep them close, Cassidy buried her face in her knees. Her chest and sides ached from the beating she received that morning. Her arm hurt the most, burning every time it was moved. Cassidy's face was littered with all kinds of bruises and cuts — her lip was split in two areas, her eyes were already started to bruise and swell a little, blood stained around her red nose, and big ugly bruises formed on her cheeks. The beatings Cassidy received from her uncle were definitely vicious. They were worse than the ones Géneviève used to give. Considering Cassidy's whole upbringing was her enduring all kinds of pain, she had, in a way, grown used to it all. Part of her still wanted to fight back, didn't want to believe that she was enduring something so horrible, but she just couldn't envision a life without it._

 _The sound of her bedroom door slamming open caused Cassidy to grip her legs tighter. Eiji's stomps filled her room, coming closer..._

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Cassidy watched Kai eat his M&M's happily. He seemed so blissfully unaware of everything. He was happy, he was enjoying life. At only two and a half years old, Kai didn't have much to worry about. He was a smart kid, even at his age. Come on...any parent would say that about their kids, right? Cassidy couldn't help but think that her son was advanced to a degree, though he did have room to grow. For one, Kai's speech wasn't the best. At two, he should be able to at least speak in sentences to a certain degree. Kai still spoke in fragmented speech. Most people would look at him as being slow. The two and a half year old was a bit underweight, thanks to Eiji's decision to not buy fresh food. Kai was also a bit smaller than most boys his age, and Cassidy hoped that he'd grow into himself once he got older.

But there was also that lingering thought in the back of her mind. Was Kai's physical setbacks because of his incestuous background? To a degree, it would make sense. If family members had a sexual relationship of any kind — consensual or not _(at least from Cassidy's understanding)_ — there were bound to be some kind of physical or mental deformities in any children that were born from it. It was a miracle in and of itself that Kai hadn't manifested any kind of special needs from the conditions of his conception. And as for the baby growing in Cassidy's stomach, the nurse who performed that first ultrasound said the fetus was growing normally. For the meantime, Cassidy could only assume her unborn child would be OK, but lingering thought of that fetus developing abnormalities later stayed in her mind. The young mother had to keep all doors open. She _had_ to be prepared for whatever happened.

During Cassidy's pregnancy with Kai, Eiji had been acting carefully around her. He wouldn't beat her or rape her, but he was verbally and emotionally abusive. He would call her all kinds of names. As her pregnancy with her son progressed, Eiji's verbal and emotional abuse intensified. It made Cassidy feel horrible about herself. Eiji blamed her for getting pregnant, he blamed _her_ for her being raped. Saying things like Cassidy was "seducing" him, that she was just a "useless whore". Of course she'd believe him. What else was she supposed to do? She didn't have it in her to leave him. Where would she go? Eiji would find her before she got very far. Looking back at that time, when she was pregnant with Kai, Cassidy came to realize she had been in a deep depression. She didn't have the mental strength to get herself out of Eiji's grasp. She saw herself being stuck with him forever. She wanted to be able to protect the children she had with him, because the amount of times Eiji was raping her, Cassidy assumed she'd have more than just one kid with him.

The idea of having more children with Eiji was sickening. He was the last person she wanted to reproduce with. But, like mentioned before, what was she supposed to do? Whenever she fought back, he'd beat her and rape her even more brutally than before. As awful as it was for Cassidy to admit it, Kai and the baby were the greatest things to come out of the abuse. It gave her something to fight for. It just took her some time to figure it out.

So Cassidy watched Kai eat his M&M's, she watched as he his eyes lit up with each candy he took out of the bag. Watching him get so happy with his candy filled her with joy.

Hesitantly, Cassidy also placed a hand on her flat stomach. It was too early in the pregnancy for there to be any noticeable bump, but the longer she stayed on the street, the more dangerous it would be for her, the baby, and Kai. Cassidy had to think of a plan, and quick.

 ** _~. . . .~_**

On more than one occasion, Cassidy envisioned a life where she was surrounded by people who loved her. No one beat her, no one put her down, no one sexually assaulted her. Cassidy was loved, she was appreciated, and she was _happy_. A life like that always seemed easier, tolerable. She didn't have a single worry in the world. Nothing else mattered. A lot of the time, thoughts like that served as Cassidy's escape before Kai's birth. A world where the young girl had two loving parents, a healthy living environment, friends, an education...the things that all other kids her age took for granted.

To anyone else, something like that may be silly. They didn't have to worry about getting an education, their parents made sure they were in the best schools. Other kids Cassidy's age had at least one or both of their parents, and those parental figures were supportive and loving. Those kids had friends and after-school activities, they had little areas to hang out at and have fun. Cassidy _craved_ for things like that. She wanted to laugh and talk and hang out with other people. She wanted to understand their thinking. What did they like to do? Did they have any dreams for the future? How did they plan on accomplishing those things?

Was that too much to ask for?

She hoped it wasn't. Cassidy may not have two loving parents, or supportive friends or anything like that, but she'll get an education and she'll have the love of her kids. Cassidy would, without a doubt, make her life better for herself and her kids. She didn't need her parents for that. She didn't need _Eiji_ for that. Once she got out of Eiji's clutches legally, Cassidy would be able to start over. She'd be able to live the life she dreamed of.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **I know, this chapter isn't the best. Just let me know if there's anything that needs improvement. Constructive criticism is always welcome, OK? Give me suggestions on how to improve this.**

 **Nothing in the OHSHC belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **So far, I've had one kind reviewer tell me that, out of all the Host Club members, Cassidy and Kai should meet Honey and Mori first, eventually going to live with them. I think that's a good idea, actually. Does anyone else have any suggestions? Should Cassidy and Kai meet the Host Club when they're all together, or should she meet them individually? PM me or leave a review.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	8. Chapter 8

_There's a lot of pretty, pretty ones_

 _That want to get you high_  
 _But all the pretty, pretty ones_  
 _Will leave you low and blow your mind_

-The Dope Show; **by Marilyn Manson**

* * *

Cassidy was quick to have her son finish his snack so they could be on their way. The young mother didn't want them to stay in one area long; considering Eiji could've contacted any of his friends, that meant they were in danger. Cassidy was hellbent on ensuring her son and unborn child were put in some kind of safe environment, no matter what. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, Cassidy knew she'd do whatever it took — _whatever_ it took — to make sure that happened. Desperation was her best friend at the moment.

Kai seemed rather unhappy that he didn't get the opportunity to finish his M&M's, but Cassidy, rather forcefully, told him that they had spent enough time sitting around and they had to keep moving. That answer resulted in Kai throwing a mini tantrum, which resulted in Cassidy threatening to punish him if he didn't behave. It took a moment for the two and a half year old to calm down, but he eventually did. It left the young mother in a foul mood, but she couldn't dwindle on that any longer than necessary.

For the past half hour, the small family walked through the streets of the city they were in. Cassidy held onto Kai's hand tightly, wanting to have him as close to her as possible. In her other hand, Cassidy held the envelope Akihito's letter was in. She was trying to concentrate on studying the address while studying the buildings around them. They were still in the shopping center of the city, and Cassidy knew that she wouldn't be able to find any actual homes aside from an occasional apartment building. None of the apartment building's addresses matched Akihito's address, either, so it didn't matter. After almost an hour of confused searching, Cassidy knew she'd have to ask people for help. She couldn't do it on her own, especially with the sun getting lower and Kai becoming antsy and tired.

Not very many people were willing to stop and help. That was one thing Cassidy realized. She didn't blame them; she looked like shit. Some pregnant sixteen year old with her toddler? Not to mention a filthy looking teenager — who'd go out of their way to help her? It was frustrating. All Cassidy wanted was a general direction on where to go, instead she was getting filthy looks and heated glares. Yeah, she didn't look good, but that didn't mean she shouldn't get _help_.

"Mama, _tired_ ," Kai whined.

Looking up at the sky, Cassidy saw the sky turning into various shades of purples, dark blues, yellows, and oranges. The sun was getting very low in the sky, and Cassidy was nowhere close to finding where Akihito lived. Not only that, but she had no way of finding shelter for her and her son. Cassidy had a brief understanding on how city streets worked at night, and it wasn't pretty. Kai shouldn't be exposed to something like that, the young mother understood that, but she wasn't sure if there were any women's shelters or abandoned buildings to seek refuge in. Abandoned buildings weren't that safe, either. Maybe an unlocked car or something. Unused cars in big cities were typically left parked on the side of the road, and sometimes car owners left their vehicles unlocked. If Cassidy were lucky enough to find one of those, then she'd at least be able to give Kai a place to sleep.

"Just hold on a little longer," she responded, looking at her son. "Can you do that for me? Can you do that for mama?"

A scowl came across Kai's face. It was almost adorable. Giving a grumbled response, Cassidy continued on her journey to find _someone_ to help her.

 ** _~. . . .~_**

For Akihito Hisakawa, he couldn't have asked for a better life. He was a successful lawyer, he had a beautiful wife and gorgeous children. They all lived in a good home in a better part of the community, where Akihito and his family could live comfortably. But despite all the wealth and comforts his life had, there was still the lingering shadow in the back of his mind. And it had to do with his eldest daughter, the one he had with Géneviève. Akihito's parents refused to acknowledge the relationship he once had with the Brazilian woman, so he had no choice _but_ to cut her out of his life. It only made things more difficult when Géneviève announced her pregnancy before the split. Akihito's parents, Rey and Hana, didn't know about his eldest daughter's existence, and it was good that it was left that way.

Rey and Hana were strict, wanting to stick to the traditional way of Japanese life. Which meant the eldest child — who had to be a son — would be expected to inherit everything, and the only union between their children should be with someone who was fully Japanese. Géneviève's Brazilian background went against Rey's and Hana's values.

It had been a long time since Akihito had seen his ex-lover, and from what he understood, Géneviève had been doing poorly since their split. Their child had been taken into protective custody, later being put into the foster system. Akihito later learned that his daughter was living with Eiji, the youngest of the Hisakawa siblings. While the decision to have the child live with Eiji wasn't the best, considering the youngest sibling's dishonorable past, in a way it was _good_ on Akihito's part — he felt a sense of closeness to his daughter, despite her living with his disowned brother. Eiji, on the other hand, gave Akihito no contact with his daughter. He wasn't able to physically visit her, despite Akihito wanting to. It was strange, but he chose not to pursue it further in fear of getting some kind of outburst from his brother.

However, in one instance, Akihito did manage to send out a letter to his daughter, saying that he wouldn't mind being able to arrange a meeting with her some time. Considering they never met in person, he wanted to get to know her, to see what kind of person she turned out to be. Should they ever meet up, whichever direction their relationship would go, would be completely up to her. She wouldn't be forced to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. But that letter had been sent a while ago, and he hadn't heard anything from her. It was worrying, and Eiji wasn't really cooperative at the best of times. Akihito tried his best to not let it bother him, though. He had to keep in mind that he had a business to run and another family to take care of. He had to think of what was best for the family he currently had, as badly as it hurt him to think like that.

 ** _~. . . .~_**

It was useless, that was Cassidy's conclusion. No one would help her, no one would even come _close_ to her or Kai. The sun was almost gone in the sky, and Cassidy had spent most of her time hoping to find help. Now that she and Kai would be on their own, Cassidy had to come to the realization that she had no idea where she and her son would sleep. The idea of sleeping in unlocked cars still seemed like the best approach, considering she had no idea where local shelters were in the area. The thought of having to sleep in someone else's car, however, was frightening. If someone caught her and Kai in their car, they'd undoubtedly call the cops. If law enforcement got involved, then she'd be sent either to a social worker and get separated from her son, or get sent back to Eiji. Neither of those options sounded pleasant.

Chewing on her bottom lip anxiously, the young mother tried to figure something out. If she didn't, then she'd not only be exposing herself and her son to what the night life had to offer, but she'd be putting herself and Kai at risk. The last thing Cassidy wanted was to put her son in _more_ danger. Not only that, but Cassidy also had to think about her unborn child. If she were to be attacked by someone, if she were to be abducted or severely injured, chances are Cassidy would suffer a miscarriage. If she were to be unfortunate enough to suffer a miscarriage while on the streets, she'd have no way of getting the proper medical attention needed. It was hard enough seeing a doctor while living with Eiji, but living on the streets would make it impossible. Eiji refused to let Cassidy save up any money of her own, but what he didn't understand was that she'd salvage any money available just in case. Obviously the amount she had would only be good for transits and maybe shopping.

But as she looked around her, seeing the streets start to clear out and the nighttime people come out, Cassidy realized that she needed to make a decision quick. She couldn't be wasting any time pondering over what she _might_ think is right.

"Kai-bear, do you wanna play a game?" Cassidy whispered, kneeling down to her son's eye-level. His face lit up at the idea. Nodding frantically, he started bouncing where he stood, incapable of containing his excitement. "OK. What we're going to do is a really hard game of hide-and-seek. Are you up for it?"

"Yeah!" he cried.

Putting her pointer finger on her lips, she quieted Kai down. "We're going to be hiding in one of these cars," she whispered, gripping her son's shoulders. "If we can stay in one _all night_ without getting caught, then we win. Does that sound fun?"

Kai nodded happily.

With a forced smile, Cassidy nodded in return. Now all she had to do was find an unlocked car.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for this poor excuse of a chapter. I am recovering from studying my brains out for an exam. Hopefully there's something in this chapter you guys found even somewhat interesting. If there's something you think needs improvement, let me know.**

 **OHSHC does not belong to me. I own my OCs and subplots.**

 **If you'd like to add your own OCs or subplots to the story, don't hesitate to PM me or leave a review. I'd gladly add it in as soon as possible.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	9. Chapter 9

_If I could begin to be_  
 _Half of what you think of me_  
 _I could do about anything_  
 _I could even learn how to love_  
 _When I see the way you act_  
 _Wondering when I'm coming back_  
 _I could do about anything_  
 _I could even learn how to love_  
 _Like you_

-Rose's Farewell (Love Like You); **from the STEVEN UNIVERSE season 2 soundtrack**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: Brief mentions of suicide attempt.**

* * *

Finding an unlocked car wasn't as easy as it sounded. Even during the night, when there were hardly any people out, Cassidy had to keep in mind that the occasional passersby would still walk across the street or down the sidewalk. She had to make sure no one saw her or Kai, but she had to be quick in her search for the right car so that she and her son could have a place to sleep for the night.

Looking down at her two and a half year old, Cassidy saw how he seemed rather unbothered by everything that was going on. He was standing close to his mother, just observing everything with minimal curiosity. Exhaustion was evident in Kai's eyes, which motivated Cassidy more to get him a place to sleep.* It was already obvious that the young mother wouldn't be able to get a wink of sleep, and that worried her even more. What would happen to the baby if she didn't get any sleep? Cassidy was already not taking good care of herself, what if she _did_ suffer a miscarriage because of that? That very thought made Cassidy's stomach knot up painfully, almost making her vomit. She couldn't think like that - she'd keep her unborn baby safe, just like she'd keep Kai safe. But Cassidy knew that she'd have to start figuring out ways to take care of herself. Living on the streets wouldn't do her any justice, and she understood the importance of finding a stable living environment, at least until the baby was born.

"Mama, I'm _tired_ ," Kai pressed. "What's taking so long?"

With a sharp look thrown the toddler's way, Cassidy took his hand and they journeyed to the next unused car. "You can't rush this, OK?" she muttered. "I'll find a car and you'll sleep there. _Be patient_." It was easier said than done, considering a lot of the cars Cassidy had inspected were locked, and she wasn't going to risk breaking windows and sounding alarms just to get her son to sleep. Not to mention Cassidy had to make sure that not only were passersby not catching her trying to break into cars, but she had to make sure anyone in nearby stores or apartment buildings were watching her. It took a lot of careful inspection, and Cassidy wasn't going to screw anything up.

When they made it to the end of the block, where the last car in that area was parked, Cassidy looked around, studying the area as carefully as she could. No one walking by, no in any stores were looking her way, and as far as she was concerned the tenants in the apartment buildings weren't giving her the time of day. Readying herself, Cassidy grabbed the car's passenger's side handle and wiggled it. When the door opened, and no alarms went off, a feeling of relief filled Cassidy. She managed to _actually_ find a car that was open. Kai let out a sound of excitement, which Cassidy had to stop so no attention was drawn to them.

"Get in," Cassidy whispered, motioning for her son to hurry. When he scrambled in, sitting comfortably on the passenger's seat, Cassidy motioned him into the driver's side before she got in. Quickly closing the door, she locked the car. Grabbing Kai from the driver's side, Cassidy put him on her lap. She needed him close so they could all get away together. Kai was happy to nestle into his mother, and she had to remind him to be careful to not hurt his baby brother or sister. The toddler rested his head on one of Cassidy's arms, his breathing slowing down. Cassidy kept him as close to her as possible, as she leaned back on the seat so she wouldn't be noticed by anyone. The car itself was cold, and Cassidy would've dug through her bag for warmer clothes if Kai hadn't been on her lap. It didn't matter, though. If her son could get a few hours of sleep in, then that was good enough. Maybe Cassidy herself could get a few z's in.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

There wasn't much activity that night. At least, that was what Cassidy believed. She didn't see many people, and if anyone walked by the car, they never looked her way. Maybe she got lucky, but she wasn't entirely sure. Cassidy tried to keep herself awake in case the car's owner came back, but considering it was so late in the night it seemed unlikely. But if the owner had work early in the morning, that meant the small family would have to leave really soon. But...Cassidy didn't know what time it was. With a frustrating sigh, the young mother tried to make the best of the situation. Kai was sound asleep, occasionally murmuring or whining in his sleep, but otherwise he was out like a light. For Cassidy, she nodded off a few times, but only for a few minutes at most. She wanted the sleep, but she couldn't afford it. She thought it'd be a good idea to get some shut eye, but her mind changed quickly after that.

Looking down at Kai, Cassidy took the time to observe him. She took in his coppery colored curls, his lightly tanned skin, and the way he was so adoring of his mother. Kai's innocent, unwavering love for his mother warmed Cassidy's heart. She could only hope that her son would love her, considering she did her best to raise him and take care of him since she was fourteen. There wasn't a single doubt in the young mother's mind that she loved her son unconditionally. She'd move heaven and hell to see him happy. The same went for her baby, too. She left Eiji because she wanted to protect not only her son, but the child growing inside her. Cassidy couldn't stand the thought of just sitting by and allowing her uncle's abuse to go on for much longer. The overwhelming fear and uncertainty that came with living with Eiji was _suffocating_ , and Cassidy just wanted a way to end it. Suicide wouldn't have been a good option. Cassidy had attempted to do so, and the fact that she _failed_ had weighed heavily on her shoulders. The consequences of Cassidy's attempted suicide gave her the understanding that if she tried anything like that again, she'd receive punishments far worse than what Eiji allowed to happen. She had to figure out another way. It was only a miracle it would be because of a second pregnancy that Cassidy worked up the courage to finally leave.

Leaning her head on the headrest of the passenger's seat, the young mother closed her eyes for a moment. Maybe if she did allow herself some time to rest, she'd be more refreshed in the morning. She'd definitely have a lot of work ahead of her if she planned on finding Akihito.

 _ **~. . . .~**_

Aya had been doing a lot of research on Cassidy Hisakawa. The sixteen year old had been in and out of foster care before being taken in by Eiji. Her father was a rick lawyer, her mother was an immigrant. From what Aya had gathered, Cassidy's parents never married. Akihito Hisakawa's name wasn't even on the birth certificate. The only reason the Korean woman knew Akihito was Cassidy's father was because the sixteen year old had more of Akihito's features. But that was Aya's own observation.

 _The last place's she's been seen at was a grocery store, after she got off those transit buses._ That thought ran through Aya's mind. She was able to gain access to some of the security cameras, and easily saw the sixteen year old and her son boarding some buses and walking in and out of a supermarket. After that, Aya was still trying to get a good look. The area Cassidy went to was a shopping district, so there were plenty of people. Maybe with this particular case, it was just so mundane that she wasn't really trying as hard as she normally would've. Aya understood, however, that she did need to find a way to return this girl back to her uncle. She could track her down, but she needed to bring someone in to physically get her. From the looks of it, Cassidy Hisakawa was determined to get as far away from Eiji as possible.

Moving from her spot near where her laptop was stationed, Aya picked up one of her many cell phones. Turning it on and searching through some of the contacts, Aya gave a small smile when she finally got to the name she wanted. Pressing the call button, she waited a moment before the person on the other end answered.

"Ayame?" Aya said.

"Who's this?" The woman's voice on the other end was clipped, tense.

"Aya Song," was the response.

"What do you want?" Ayame's voice remained tense.

"I need your help with something."

"I've told you I don't work for you anymore," Ayame responded harshly. "The last job you gave me was a bust. I nearly lost my life because of you."

"Look I get it," Aya said. "But this job requires your kind of work. This'll be the last job I promise."

"What do you want?"

"I just need you to find someone and bring her back to her uncle."

A scoff could be heard from the other end of the phone. " _Seriously_?" Ayame remarked. "Screw you, Song, I'm not doing that."

"Are _you_ serious right now? This is a simple task! It shouldn't take long. Just some runaway and her kid."

There was a long pause on the other end. Ayame Kishimoto was an old worker of Aya's, who helped her with a lot of her cases in the past. The two women did have a falling out after Aya convinced Ayame to do a case that involved drug trafficking. What hadn't been told was that the drug trafficking was gang related, and that a rival gang had planned to interrupt the trafficking. And _interrupting_ in the rival gang's mind meant killing everyone involved. After that catastrophe, Ayame quit working with Aya. It just wasn't worth it in Ayame's eyes.

"You still there?" Aya asked.

"I'm coming over," Ayame said flatly. "No offense, but I don't entirely believe you."

A smirk came across the Korean woman's face. "None taken," she responded. "I'll send you my address."

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter. I've been trying to write this while doing homework, so that's why it's been put back for so long. Hopefully it's still a bit decent! Leave some constructive criticism where you think it's necessary.**

 **OHSHC does not belong to me. All I own are my OCs and the subplots I put in.**

 **If you've got any ideas on OCs or ideas for subplots, don't hesitate to let me know. PM me or leave a review and I'll put it in as quickly as possible.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


	10. Chapter 10

_"There's always gonna be someone better looking, there's always gonna be someone smarter, there's always gonna be someone who works harder. What you have to offer is yourself, so don't lose it, focus on it and try to bring it out."_

-Jared Padalecki

* * *

Cassidy was going in and out of sleep for the remainder of the night. Her eyes felt like it sand had been poured on them; her body felt heavier; her breathing felt somewhat labored. If Cassidy was going to be honest with herself, she was feeling like _shit_. All of that to keep herself and her kids safe? It was already wearing Cassidy down. If being on the run, living on the streets, had that kind of effect on the young mother only after one day, she could only imagine how much worse it'll be the longer it takes her to find Akihito. Cassidy was already starting to feel a bit of pressure fall on her shoulders the longer it took her to find her father. She didn't want to go back to Eiji. To finally be able to leave that abusive environment, to be able to feel _so_ _close_ to freedom - Cassidy couldn't allow herself or Kai to be taken back. She had told herself that countless times since the day before, but she had to keep reminding herself that. No good would come out of being sent back to that man. If Eiji didn't beat them half to death for escaping, he'd certainly kill them for doing just that.

Letting out a sigh, Cassidy ran a hand through her son's curls. She was trying to find a way to comfort herself. She had watched absently as the sky went from black to a dark grey, the sun slowly coming up. And then a nauseous feeling started to rise in Cassidy's stomach. Similar to the one she endured in the store. Her breathing quickening, Cassidy managed to shake her son awake. Kai's initial confusion didn't last long before Cassidy quickly unlocked the door and stumbled out with her son right behind her. Vomit spewed from the young mother's mouth, spattering all over the concrete. Morning sickness was definitely something Cassidy didn't experience often, especially when she was pregnant with Kai. She remembered the rare occurrence of being nauseous, but never sick enough to throw up. This pregnancy was already starting to feel different. The second time within a couple hours, Cassidy couldn't tell for sure if her second pregnancy would be doing any mercy on her body or not. Before she had gone to the doctor, the young mother certainly believed she was pregnant - she thought she was experiencing a few early signs. Never in that time leading up to the appointment did Cassidy feel nauseous nor did she vomit.

Another wave rolled through her body, causing another wave of vomit to spew out. Kai let out startled screams, certainly not liking seeing his mother in such a condition.

"Mama!" he cried. Kai's small hands gripped his mother's pant legs, hoping to get her attention. "Mama, stop!"

After a minute of Cassidy heaving, the nauseating feeling in her slowly went away. And with that, she could try and gather her belongings and calm Kai down.

"Kai, get our stuff and close the door, OK?" Cassidy rasped, looking at her son desperately. Tears were trembling on the edges of Kai's eyes, a terrified look on his face. He wasn't used to his mother being in such a condition, and Cassidy couldn't hold that against him. The nausea was scaring her, as well. Considering she never experienced anything like that before, it made her wonder what was going on with her current pregnancy. Was it at all related to the condition of her baby's conception? Maybe there were abnormalities the nurse overlooked. But she wouldn't be able to find a decent doctor in the district she was in. Letting out a wheezing breath, Cassidy threw another look her son's way. "Kai, _please_ get our stuff."

 _ **~. . . .~**_

The one thing Cassidy was grateful for was that it was early enough for there to not be as many people roaming around the streets. Kai managed to struggle to get their few belongings out of the car, and Cassidy made sure everything was together before closing the car door. It was hard for the young mother to try and go about her day after that. Waves of queasiness rolled through her stomach as she struggled to get to her feet. Each step made Cassidy's stomach feel like it was being tossed like a football. Each breath she took felt painful and heavy. God only knows how long the sickly feeling would last.

 _What if the fetus was starting to display abnormalities?_ the young mother thought. Her stomach knotted up worriedly, making the queasiness worse. _If the abnormalities got too bad, would it result in a miscarriage? Or would it be a stillbirth if it went on long enough?_ Tears prickled in the backs of Cassidy's eyes. After all the hard work she went through to ensure her baby and Kai got a better life, she wouldn't be able to stand it if something happened to her unborn child. It could just be her overreacting to morning sickness, but considering her children were the product of incest, birth defects could not be ruled out.

Setting her jaw, Cassidy tried her best to push those thoughts out of her head. She understood that their incestuous background was problematic for them. Kai and the baby could develop serious issues early on or later in life. Despite that, however, Cassidy felt as if it would be in the best interest of her children to not tell them about that little detail unless it was medically necessary. How would Kai react if he found out his great-uncle was also his father? Would he hate Cassidy for withholding that kind of information from him? What about the baby? Should the baby come out normally, how would it react to that kind of information when it was older? Cassidy couldn't do that to her kids. She wanted what was best for them, and info like that could alter their lives forever.

Looking down at her son, Cassidy felt guilt riddle through her body. His face was tearstained and his eyes were still a bit glassy. Kai Hisakawa was such a gentle soul, and Cassidy loved that about him. He didn't have a mean bone in his body, and the young mother hoped it stayed that way.

Gently placing a hand on her stomach, a thought came to Cassidy. What would her baby be like? Would it be gentle like Kai? Would it have more of Eiji's personality? God help that child if it did. Would it have more of Eiji's physical features or Cassidy's features? The one thing the young mother was thankful for was that Kai had more of her features than Eiji's. While it didn't matter to the vile man she called an uncle, Cassidy was so happy for that. Something so small as hoping her child didn't obtain her rapist's features filled her with a little bit of joy. Was that weird?

Whether it was weird or not, Cassidy couldn't have been happier for that turn out. Part of her _did_ hope that the baby had more of her features than her uncle's. It would be like another little joyous moment for her. She also hoped that, after its birth and it had time to grow, that it didn't have any of Eiji's personality traits. That meant Cassidy would have to work even harder to protect herself and her kids.

A small wave of nausea rolled itself through the mother's stomach. Cassidy grimaced at that, removing her hand. If she kept walking, maybe she'd be able to find a place to rest for a little bit. After her vomiting episode by the car, she had to put distance between herself and the mess she made. However long that took.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the delay, but here's the chapter. Not the best, but hopefully it's somewhat decent. If you've got constructive criticism, don't hesitate to let me know, OK? That kind of stuff is super important.**

 **Nothing in the OHSHC belongs to me. All I own are my characters and the subplots I put in.**

 **As an FYI to anyone who cares: Someone - the assistant manager, specifically - at my job got fired because she got caught stealing. At the place we both work at. In front of other people. It took the store MONTHS to actually fire her, since I've been hearing she has been stealing from the store for a long time. But yeah, she's been let go and now we're all getting her hours which means I'll have even LESS time to work on my stories. Though I kind of have a sporadic updating schedule for this anyway. Whatever. What I'm trying to say is that there will be huge gaps between updates, and if I do update and there's an even longer gap to the chapter actually coming up, notice that it's probably me being distracted with work and school. It's not me purposely shoving this thing off until I decide to finish it, it's actually me thinking I had time to start and finish within a certain amount of time, but I got sidetracked by other things that have a little more importance.**

 **Anyway, whatever. That's a little thing I thought was important.**

 **What do you guys think should happen in the next chapter? Should Cassidy and Kai meet one of the Host Club members? Should she run into someone working with her uncle? Give some thoughts.**

 **Thanks a bunch.**

 **Willow**


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